Last night's Forealists show at Duke's was a joyous thing to behold: a hot young band deeply in the pocket kicking out seriously funky jams, with flashing disco-licious lights and projections, and people in fancy dress getting down and being free- there was something communal and futuristic going on and it was beautiful. But I also noticed that some in the audience wanted to dance but weren't, folks dressed for a liberating fantastical freakout but strangely not liberated by the freeing spectacle unfolding in front of them, and it sort of made me sad. These poor kids were kind of moving rhythmically in a tentative fashion like, they weren't exactly sure how to get down to the mad funky music being laid down for them, but I don't blame them. Actual dancing is making a comeback, and buffaBLOG is here to help.
When Daft Punk's Random Access Memories came out this spring, I found myself deeply amused by the critique that it wasn't originally going over with the youth because it was old hat and steeped in a history uninteresting to young EDM fans. My theory however was that the youth didn't like the new Daft Punk because they didn't really know how to dance to it after years of EDM. Dancing rhythmically with ones knees and with ones ass was of course originally what it was all about, but as the EDM juggernaut churned on that gradually went out of style, but now it's coming back, here are three videos to provide a crash course in dancing to funky music straight from the source: Soul Train and Nile Rodgers (and Daft Punk).
And before any of you accuse me of racism here for offering up some Soul Train to help fellow white folks learn how to dance, you can kiss my ass. Soul Train taught white people how to dance for decades... white people smart enough to know that Soul Train was light years better than American Band Stand. Respect Soul Train. Respect the Don. Respect African American culture that is the font from which so much American and global culture flows. And dance you mother-bleepers.
In conclusion, here's a Soul Train line dance featuring War's "Bolero." This ain't no godawful honky country western line dance. This is a Soul Train line dance. Admire the self expression, liberation, coolness, and pure fonkiness on display throughout. People got free dancing with their knees and asses to the rhythm on Soul Train, and that folks, is what it's all about.
Now you're ready the next time somebody opens up a can of funky whoop ass to dance like you mean it and dance like you want to be free. Those kids in their excellent Forealist show fancy dress should all be dancing and finding some liberation to Forealists, damn it, and I hope this helps.
It's a celebration, bitches. Remember that.
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